Method and apparatus for salvaging air-borne fibers



E. CLARK Aug. 12, 1952 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SALVAGING AIR-BORN FIBERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May ll, 1949 1230322203 Fa ze 0303 4 3, fly %Lac Patented Aug. 1 2, 1952 METHOD AND APPAR ATUS- FOR *S'ALV'AGHNTG AIR-BOENE FIBE'RS Mass'., assign'or to Abi g- Ernest Clark, Abington,

ton Textile Machin'ery Works; North Abington;

Mass., a trust of Massachusetts Application May 11, 1949, Serial No. 92,682' 13 Claims. (01 19- 7 This invention relates to the separation of fibre from air laden'with fibre, dust, and other fine debris, and the general object of the invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for more effectively and completely producing such separation than has heretofore been accomplished.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus in which the fibre and debris-laden air is caused to flow from a conduit therefor through a selected one of a series of shunt circuits, each having fibre-collecting means therein, and finally through a single filter waste receiver for the entire series.

Another object of the invention is to provide a receiver for separating the fibres from a confined fiowing current of air provided with means for 'completely emptying the fibres from the fibrecollecting chamber of the receiver directly and vertically downward from' the lower end of the receiver.

The inventionalso comprises improvements on the constructon disclosed in Patent No. 1,

granted December 28, 1926, to Fred H. White for A Stripping, etc. Equipment of Textile Manufacturing Plants, in which certain features which are disclosed therein may be employed in the present invention as will hereinafter appear.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the following description and the accompanying drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

A preferred mechanism embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of apparatus, indicated as located in a room the walls ofwhich are shown in cross section, embodying the invention illustrating a main conduit for the fibre and dust-laden air and a series of Shunt circuits leading therefrom to a series of receivers for separating the fibre from the flowing current of air;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the receivers Suspended from an overhead structure 'and' having an open bottom provided with an hermetically sealable closure, with a portion of the upper end of the receiver broken away, and illustrating in vertical section portions of the inlet and outlet branch conduits leading to and from the receiver and the direction of flow of the air current therethrough;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the lower open end of the receiver, the closure cooperating therewith, and the'means for causing hermetic scaling of said open end;

Fig. 4'i's 'a detail view of the' lower open end of the receiver, 'the clo'suremember'rotatably and slidably mcunted upon the' arm of` asleeve rotatably and slidably mounted* upon a vertical post which is 'connected at its upper end to the wall of the receiver, 'and illustrating the 'closure member swu'ng entirely from beneath' the lower end 'of the receiver withthe contents of thereceiver being discharged'bygravity therefromj Fg. 5 isa detail sectional view'of 'an adjustable universal joint of'the'arm of the receiver to' the center of thec1osure 'member.; and,

Fig. '6' is a detailview of the sleeve which is rotatably. mounted upon the' post, the' means for rotatingthe Mesure-supporting; arm and 'sleeve, and' the 'means for'` raisir''g and lowering the sleeve 'and'arm, a' portion of 'the sleeve and arm and the post upon' which it is mounted' being broken away.

The construction illustrated in Fig. l'shows a main tubular 'Conduit or pipe l havingjone 'end 2 leading to adust and waste' collector'or'filterreceiver 3 and a Conduit or'pipe 4' leading therefrom to means' for applying suction to that end of the Conduit 'which as shown comprises 'a sucticn fan -5 driven by'an electric motor 6. The opposite end of the main Conduit 'I is'connected to a header "l'having an intake 8.

The header 1 may'be'provided with various intake features, but preferably communicates with a plurality of separate 'intakes such 'as suction pipes, leading* respective'ly 'from the stripping nozzles for a plurality'of card stripping mechanisms, or the respective 'r'eceivingstations of fibre and dust-laden air'from other textile machines.

Asillustratedin Fig. 1 Shunt circuits for the fibre, dust and 'waste-laden air drawn* through the main circuit I are provided and through these Shunt circuits this air fromthe main conduit is selectively conducted through any oneof a plurality of'recevers 9, w," ll, etc. located'intermedi'ate'of 'the wa ste `filter'receiver 3 *and'the header T, and'means are provided' forselectively'rendering the respective shunt circuits operative orinoperative as' hereinafter' set forth.

Inasmuch as the Shunt circuits may be and preferably are of identical constructiona description of one will suffice for'all'.

Each'shunt circut comprises an inl'et branch pipe 12 h'aving'a'shut-of valve '13 therein leading from *the suction charnber of the receiver to the' main conduit l and an outlet branch pipe I' l having a shut-off valve l'therein. The main conduit' is also provided' intermediate ortre' branches l2 and !4 with a shut-ofi valve s, By

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reason of this Construction air flowing through the main conduit may be caused to flow through the shunt circuit of either receiver by closing the shut-oif valve I 5 in the main conduit with the other shut-ofl' valves in the main conduit left open and opening the valves |3 and |5 in the branch conduts for that receiver, so that the shunt circuit through the selected receiver may be thus rendered active.

The respective receivers desirably are of a special construction providing means by which the fibre collected in the collecting chambers of the respective receivers may be conveniently removed by gravity from the lower ends of the receivers.

The preferred form of receiver is illustrated in Figs. 2 to G inclusive. As illustrated in Fig. 2 each of the receivers comprises a preferably cylindrical vertical casing I'I Suspended from an overhead structure such as I-beam girders !8 of the ceiling by suitable means such as vertical rods !9 suitably anchored in the overhead structure and connected at their lower ends in brackets 20 welded. or otherwise secured to the upper portion of the casing, with brace rods 2! extending angularly downwardly from the overhead structure and anchored to complementary flanges 22 of rings 23 and 24 surrounding and suitably secured to the intermediate preferably central portion of the casing. The casing is provided with an open end which is suitably spaced from the floor or from such other depository which may be provided to receive the mass of fibre deposited from the fibre-collecting chamber of the receiver such, for example, as the floor or a suitable receptacle placed upon the floor of a lower room beneath an opening in the floor directly beneath the receiver.

Each receiver is provided in its upper portion with an horizontal screen 25 and is closed at its upper end by a dome-shaped wall 26 hermetically secured throughout its periphery to the upper end of the casing ll. The inlet branch pipe [2 for the corresponding shunt circuit leads vertically and centrally through the dome and the screen and opens at its lower end into the collecting chamber 27 of the receiver. The chamber 28 between the screen 25 and the dome 26 constitutes a suction chamber which communicates with the lower end of the outlet branch pipe |4 of the shunt circuit. Consequently suction acts to draw the current of fibre, dust and waste-laden air centrally into the collecting chamber of the receiver. The velocity or the current is, therefore, reduced and the fibre is deposited downward by gravity, is prevented from rising by the screen, and the fine dust and waste drawn through the screen passes on through the main conduit, and thence into the filter receiver 3 where it is collected. When the receiver is filled with fibre, or when the fibre from a particular card stripping mechanism, or other source, which it is desired to segregate, has been collected the shunt circuit leading to the receiver is shut oif and the shunt circuit leading to another receiver is put into connection with the main conduit.

Thereupon the contents of the receiver are discharged by gravity vertically downward into a suitable depository. Since the fibre has been discharged centrally and vertically into the collecting chamber of the receiver at the top it is evenly dispersed and packed in the collecting chamber and discharges in a solid mass therefrom.

One of the features of the invention comprises means for enabling the flbres of the respective receivers to be easily and conveniently discharged by gravity through the open lower end.

In the Construction disclosed herein each of the receivers is provided at its lower end with an hermetic closure member which desirably is in the form of a preferably dome-shaped closure plate 29 having the flat plate 30 mounted thereon adapted to engage a resilient gasket 3l of suitable resilient material which is secured to a narrow horizontal flange 32 of an angle plate having a vertical flange 33 fitting, welded or otherwise secured to the peripheral wall of the lower end portion of the casing ll. The gasket si desirably is confined between two concentrlc narrow vertical walls 34 and 35 which are welded to the under side of the flange 32 and so spaced apart as to permit the gasket to be properly compressed by the closure plate to form an hermetic seal.

Means are provided for releasing and removing the closure plate bodily and laterally wholly from beneath the lower end of the casing ll of the receiver. The mechanism for this purpose illustrated herein comprises a vertical cylindrical post 36 which is secured to the lower portion of the receiver ll by brackets 31 and 38 and the lower end of the post 36 desirably is provided with a footing 39 which is secured to the floor 40 of the room. A cylindrical sleeve 4l, which is slidably and rotatably mounted upon the post 35. is provided with a preferably webbed arm 42 having at its upper end a horizontal flange 43 and provided at its free end with an internally threaded bracket 44 in which an externally threaded screw 45 is mounted. The screw 45 is provided with means such as an angular section 46 at its lower end adapted to be engaged by a. suitable tool to adjust the screw vertically and a lock nut 47 upon the lower end portion of the screw 45 is adapted to engage the lower end of the bracket 44 to secure the screw in adjusted position. The upper end of the screw 45 is adapted to engage a suitable universal joint conneeting the upper end of the screw to the center of the dome of the sealing plate 29.

In the preferred construction illustrated the upper end of the screw 45 engages a spherical ball 48 which is rotatably mounted in an annular cage 45 in the center of the dome-shaped closure member and preferably three equally spaced adjusting screws 50 which are mounted in the fiange 43 of the arm 42 engage an annular plate 5! which surrounds the cage 49 and is welded or otherwise secured to the under face of the dome 29 of the closure member. The sleeve 41 is provided at a convenient distance from the floor with a handle 52 for rotating the arm and a closure plate thus centrally supported therefrom into and out of registry with the lower end of the casing !1.

In order to provide means for forcing the closure plate into hermetic scaling position against the gasket 3l in the lower end of the casing and removing it therefrom means are provided for raising and lowering the sleeve. A preferred mechanism which is illustrated herein comprises a collar 53 'otatably mounted upon the post 36 and having a horizontal lower face adapted to engage a complementary collar 54 fixedly secured to the post and an upper inclined face 55 which engages a complementary inclined face upon the lower end of the sleeve. The collar 53 is provided with a handle 56 by means of which it can be rotated to raise or lower the sleeve 'and consequently' the closuremembercarried 'bythefarm thereof; I r

When .it is desired to discharge the' aocumulat ed fibre in the collecting chamberothe-receiver the operator will close the valves 13' and 15' of the branch conduits 12 and ili of the shunt circuit, then rotate the handle 56 of the collar 53 in a direction to lowerthe closure member out of engagement with the lower end ofthe casing ll and thereafter by engaging the handle 52 of the sleeve rotate the sleeve and the closure member carried thereby horizontally until it is wholly removed from beneath the casing thus permitting the fibre contents of.: the collecting chamber to drop by gravity upon the floor or upon a suitable depository beneath an opening in the floor, as -illustrated in Fig. 4. The closure rnember-will be returned by reverse operation of the handle 52 into registry with the lower end of the casing andby similar movementof the handle '56 the closure member will then be raised into sealing position and by 'virtue of the universal joint the gasket 3! will be compressed uniformly throughout its circumference.

Accuracy in sealing the closure member upon the lower end of the 'casing maybe insured by suitable adjustment of the respective screws 58 in the outer end of the flange 43 of the arm 42.

By reason of this construction considerable saving in time in removing the fibre deposited in the fibre-accumulating chamber will be accomplished.

By reason of the present Construction the fibre accumulated from any particular machine may be selectively deposited in a single receiver. Furthermore the invention enables a single filter waste receiver to be employed with a plurality of fibre-collecting receivers with the fibre separated from the air current being collected in any one of the fibre-collecting receivers and the waste deposited in the single filter receiver.

It will be understood that the particular embodiment of the invention shown and described herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictive and that various changes in construction and operation may be made by those skilled in the art within thespirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A receiver for the separation of fibre from fibre, dust and waste-laden air conveyed by a pneumatic system and the collection of the fibre comprising a cylindrical casing mounted i Vertically, open at its lower end and closed at its upper end, a closure hermetically fitting the said lower end and mounted for a slight vertical movement to enable it to be brought into tight engagement with th lower end of the casing and to be released therefrom and also mounted to Swing laterally on a vertical axis entirely away from beneath the casing, an horizontal screen extending across the upper portion of the casing dividing the interier into a fibre-collecting chamber below and a suction chamber above the screen, an intake pipe extending vertically and centrally through the upper end of the casing and the screen and opening into the fibre-collecting chamber, and a suction pipe extending from the suction chamber through the casing, and means for supplying suction to the latter pipe, the said elements acting to cause the fibre to be separated from the dust and waste and deposited in a symmetrical compact mass on the closure and the dust and waste tobewithdrawnthrcugh the screen and upon the shu ting off` of: the 'suction and the opening of 'the closure to cause the compact mass of separated fibre to be discharged ver 5 tically downwardtromthe casing. v

2. A fibre-collecting receiver as defined in claim 1, in whichthemounting ofthe said 'closure comprises a vertical post' Secured-"to the outer side of the cylindrical casing, a sleeve rotatably and slidably mounted on'said post having an armsupporting 'the closure, means for raising and lowering 'said'sleev'e and its arm, a'nd'means for s'electively rotating the sleeve accurately to position the closure in registry with' the lower end ot the casing or entirely laterallyfrombeneath saidlower'nd. l

3. A fibre-collecting receiver as defined in claim 1, in which the mounting of the said' closure compri'ses a vertical post secured to theouter side of the cylindric'al casing and mounted atits lower end upon a flor beneath the-receiver, a sleeve rotatably and s'lidably mounted on said post having an arm supporting the closure, a collar rotatably mounted on the post below the sleeve' and provided at its upper end with an inclined cam' face eng'aging the lower end of the sleeve, and manually operable means respectively for rotating said sleeve and collar.

4. A fibre-collecting receiver as defined in claim 3, in which the lower end of the sleeve is provided with an inclined cam surface complementary to that upon the upper end of said collar.

5. A fibre-collecting receiver as defined in claim 3, in which the arm of the sleeve is provided with a universal joint connected centrally to said closure to insure proper registry of the closure with the lower end of the cylindrical casing.

6. A fibre-collecting receiver as defined in claim 5, in which suitably spaced adjusting screws mounted on said arm engage the under face of the closure to insure accurate hermetic contact of the closure with the lower end of said cylindrical casing.

7. An apparatus for separating fibre from air laden with fibre, dust and waste, comprising a main pipe to which the said air is admitted at one end and suction is produced at th other end, 50 ;ja filter receiver connected into the main pipe, a

plurality of spaced. shut-off valves in the main pipe between the air admitting end and the filter receiver, a receiver associated with each shut-off valve, each receiver having a screen di- 55 viding it into a lower fibre-collecting chamber and an upper suction chamber, a valved inlet branch pipe leading from the main pipe at the air admission side of the shut-off valve to the fibre-collecting chamber, a valved outlet branch 60 pipe leading from the suction chamber to the main pipe at the suction side of the shut-off valve, the said apparatus acting to enable the fibre to be collected in any selected receiver and the dust and waste to be deposited in the filter 65 receiver by closing the shut-off valve corresponding to the selected receiver, opening all the other shut-off valves and opening the valves in the branch pipes leading to and from the selected receiver.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which each receiver is provided with an open lower end having a closure member therefor, and means for detaching the closure member from said lower end, and means for moving it bodily and laterally 7 away from beneath the receiver.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which each receiver is provided with an open lower end having a closure member therefor, a vertical post Secured to the Wall of the receiver, a sleeve mounted to rotate on the post and having an arm pivotally Secured to the center of the closure member, rotation of the sleeve acting to Swing the closure member into and out of registry with the lower end of the receiver.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, in which means are provided for moving the closure member vertically into and out of sealing engagement with the lower end of the receiver.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, in which the arm of the sleeve is connected centrally to the closure member ofthe receiver by a universal joint.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11; in which a plurality of suitably spaced adjusting screws mounted in the arm of the sleeve and engaging the closure member provide means for insuring hermetic sealing of the closure member upon the open end of the receiver.

1'3. The method of separating successively the fibre and the waste from air laden with fibre and waste which comprises causing a confined current of said air to flow by suction through a prewaste therefrom.

ERNEST CLARK.

REFEREN CES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STA'I'ES PATENTS Number Name Date 362,041 Sailor Apr. 26, 1887 559,237 Washburne Apr. 28, 1896 5B6,906 Lemoine July 20, 1897 1,024,297 Thompson Apr. 23, 1912 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 488332 Germany Dec. 28, 1929 552,809 France Jan. 30, 1923 

